Anne's Greatest Failure
by Matthais Unidostres
Summary: After all the traveling, all the battles, and all the danger, Shadow Mewtwo has finally been defeated. However, I am not happy. I should've know that victory would have a terrible risk, and possibly a terrible cost. And the when the mysterious cloaked girl made that request, I completely lost it. ***Spoilers for Pokken Tournament storyline!***
_*****Major spoilers for Pokken Tournament storyline ahead!*****_

 **Anne's Greatest Failure**

My heart felt like it was slowly freezing and breaking apart as the dark energy from the Shadow Synergy Stone expanded in a frightening orb of dark destruction.

"BRAIZE!" I practically screamed as both the Braixen near and dear to me and Shadow Mewtwo were both enveloped in the orb of dark power. Fearing the absolute worst, my mind snapped back to the events surrounding my time in the Ferrum Region . . .

* * *

After fighting Shadow Mewtwo to a draw the first time, causing him to leave in impatience, I could understand the utter despair on my Braixen's face after he mopped the floor with her during our second encounter with him. After the Shadow Realm faded out of existence and both Shadow Mewtwo and his cloaked trainer fled, I quickly ran to my Braixen's side, gently lifting her up to her feet and gently rubbing my hand down her back.

"Are you okay? He didn't hurt you too badly, did he?" I asked nervously.

She clenched her fists tightly, and shut her eyes nearly just as tight as tears leaked out of them. As I looked at her, my Synergizer conveyed her words to me. It wasn't like she was directly talking to me, or even like I could read her mind. The best way I can describe it is that, as I looked at her, I could. . . _feel_ what she wanted to say. Almost, like, I could hear her inner voice. It's hard to explain, and you have to experience it to understand it.

 _"I lost. . . I didn't win. . . I'm sorry. . ."_

I hugged the Fox Pokemon around her waist, and then gently wiped the tears away from under her eyes. This cause her to open her eyes and look at me. I understood her pain. Up to now, we had a 100% win ratio, cleanly sweeping through the Leagues. Her first loss was bound to shake her up a bit and make her feel bad. But as her Trainer, her Partner, and her friend, I had to put an end to that.

Smiling, I said, "Listen to me. . .When you train hard and fight with all your heart and soul, then loosing a battle doesn't make you a failure or a looser. As long as you've learned something from the worthy opponent you faced off bravely against." I then shot her a comical grin and said, "And we _were_ fighting a clearly overloaded Legendary of unbelievably evil power."

Her eyes blinked, and I could see her mouth twitch into a small smile.

"You're an amazing Pokemon, and we're an amazing team. Don't let it tear all you achievements down," I said encouragingly as I gently stroked her ears.

This finally got a chuckle out of her, and she nodded.

 _"Okay. . .Thank you, Matthais . . .But what now?"_

Smiling confidently, I nodded back and said, "We continue to battle in the League, and get strong enough to face Shadow Mewtwo. I already got a strategy to take care of him!"

 _"Really. . . What?"_

"Two words: Ranged Attacks."

And sure enough, when Shadow Mewtwo showed up after out promotion test to the Chroma League, perhaps angered by the few choice words I said about him and her trainer in Maya's blog, we used Ranged Attacks, mostly Fire Blast, to take down that abomination that would _dare_ hurt my friend.

"Getting in too close is suicide! But Ranged Attacks are the way to go!" I declared, "We did it, Braize!"

She turned around to look at me in surprise.

 _"Braize?"_

I smiled in slight embarrassment and explained, "Well. . .it was just a nickname I thought of. I never did give you one. . ."

It was true. When she was just a little Fennekin, a gentle ball of soft fur in my arms, I just couldn't give her a nickname. Fennekin just fit her well enough, and I didn't want to stick her with a name she wouldn't like. Then she evolved, and I never thought of nicknaming her then. I can't tell you why I thought of that nickname just then.

 _". . . I like it."_

The smile on her face warmed my heart, and I nodded back at her.

The moment was shattered when Shadow Mewtwo sprang back up, bursting with dark energy, and fled, dispelling the Shadow Realm as he flew off.

Then the cloaked Trainer finally came up to us and explained things. She talked about her backstory, what she knew about that Mewtwo, how he became Shadow Mewtwo, and about the Shadow Synergy Stone.

"Please, will you help me?" the girl, who's name was Anne, pleaded, "Help me save Mewtwo!"

At that moment, I was both confused, and a bit angry. Eventually, I regained my senses enough to say, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US ALL THIS _EARLIER,_ MADAME MYSTERIOSO!?" Technically I shouted, and this surprised both Nia and Anne. I felt slightly bad when I saw the fearful look on Anne's face, but I turned to take a quick look at Braize, who had her hands on her hips and looked just as frustrated as me, for the same reason.

So, I continued, "Pokemon have been getting hurt, including my best friend in the whole word! Gaia power is being thrown out of wack! Why have you been waiting in secret like this?! You should've told someone right away! Don't you think they would've have helped you? You should have just told us all this the first time Shadow Mewtwo attacked us! If something like this happened to Braixen, I'd seek help immediately, not wait in the shadows in an evil looking cloak!"

Anne's blue eyes revealed a feeling of hurt, so I sighed and said in a calmer tone, "Look, Braizen and I sympathize with you and Mewtwo, not to mention the Ferrum Region is doomed if we don't help you, so we'll help you. Just know that this all could've been avoided, or at least solved earlier if you hadn't been so secretive."

I held out my hand and said, "So, if you agree not to hide anything else from us, then we'll be glad to help you and your friend. Okay?"

Anne looked at me, her eyes softening a bit. Then she stretched out her hand and shook mine. "Yes," she said softly, "And thank you. Thank you so much."

And with that, off we went on our quest to recharge Anne's pendant so we could use it to get the Shadow Synergy Stone out of Mewtwo. Braizen and I had defeated 3 of the 4 masters we needed to battle to recharge the pendant's power, but _apparently_ , we ran out of time and needed to fight Shadow Mewtwo with the strength of only 3. I argued against this, claiming that going on only 75% percent power against something as insanely powerful as Shadow Mewtwo was too risky, but according to Anne's _"people,"_ we just couldn't wait any longer.

So we faced off against Shadow Mewtwo for the final time, and using our Ranged Attack strategy, we knocked Shadow Mewtwo down once, burning through his insanely high HP. But when he struck back and cruelly struck Braize down in response, I began to resent the fact that we _"didn't have enough time"_ to bring the pendant to full power.

That resentment gave way to fear when I saw the expression of intense pain on her face as she was blasted by Shadow Mewtwo's insanely powerful Psychic attack. It was so powerful that even I could feel the force of the blow, albeit only a fraction of it. Combined with the way Braize fell down in a crumbled heap, panic overtook my mind.

"NO! Braize! You. . . you can't die!" I shouted. At the moment, I truly did fear for her life.

Much to my relief, Braize slowly got up to her feet, breathing heavily and trembling.

 _"I . . . I can still fight. . ."_

Luckily, Anne had managed to invoke the pendant's power enough to grant Braixen a Synergy Burst.

"I believe in you, Braize!" I called out to her as she glowed with the power of Synergy, born by the bond between our hearts.

 _"Yes. . . we can. . . we WILL win. . ."_

And we did.

* * *

And now, I could only watch helplessly as Braize was lost in a mass of Shadow Synergy power.

Then, Anne's pendant glowed with golden light, and a golden sphere grew out of it and collided with the dark sphere. I watched in amazement was the golden sphered absorbed the dark power, dispelling the Shadow Realm around us and returning us to the green and peaceful Ferrum Region. I saw Shadow Mewtwo wall to the ground, the glowing stone protruding out of it's shoulder cracking and breaking apart. But that didn't hold me attention for long.

I immediately looked over to where I last saw Braize, and I ran over to where she lay, limp and on her side.

"Braize! Braize! Are you okay? Say something!" I said desperately as I knelt down beside her and shook her shoulder. When she didn't respond, I turned her over gently and looked at her face. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth was hanging open a bit. I shook her desperately, hoping, praying that her eyes would open and she'd give me a cute smile to show that she was okay. But all she did was lay limp and still.

"No. . . no, Braize!" I shouted as I rubbed the back of her head, and then gently lifted it as I place my right hand on her furry cheek, "I told you, you can't die! You can't! How am I supposed to manage without you!?"

* * *

 _I was asleep in my room on the ship headed across the sea to the Ferrum Region, perhaps dreaming of the battles my Partner and I would soon take part in, when I felt something touching my face. In a reflex, my left hand went to swat at whatever it was. With a loud smack, I felt something cool and gloppy splatter all over my face. I instantly woke up and saw the white foam all over my hands. Mischievous laughing filled the room, and I turned to see my Partner leaning against the wall holding a small can of complimentary shaving cream from the bathroom._

 _I couldn't help but smile and laugh as well at the old but good prank, but I forced myself to scowl and said, "Oooh, I'll get back at you for that!"_

* * *

"You're all the fun I've ever had in life!" I said pleadingly, as if my words were enough to change the outcome of that terrible ordeal of light and darkness I had just witnessed, "You're more than just a battle partner! You're my friend! You're my everything, Braize! I can't loose you like this! How am I supposed to move on from this? Braize! BRAIZE!"

I couldn't handle this. I just couldn't accept this. But I had seen her get enveloped by all that terrible power, and I realized that her stillness and unresponsiveness. . .

I pulled her form close to me, hugging her close, allowing the memories I had made with her flow through me, from the day I picked her, to her evolution, to all our Pokemon battles, to the events here in the Ferrum Region. I cried hard and loud, not caring about Nia or Anne or Mewtwo. I just hugged my fallen Pokemon, praying with all my fading strength that this wasn't the end, that I didn't have to say goodbye.

Then, I felt myself being hugged back.

I blinked my eyes, clearing the tears from them, until I could finally make out Braize's smiling face, looking up at me with a pair of weak eyes. Weak, but alive.

"Braize. . ." I sobbed out, grief and joy mixing and swirling around inside me. I touched my forehead to hers, tightening my hug as I said through my tears, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I almost lost you, I'm sorry!"

 _"No. . .don't apologize. . . it had to be done. . . and we did it. . .together. . ."_

After what felt like an hour, we finally let each other go and sat on the ground next to each other. I could tell that Braize was still very weak, but she still kept up her cheerful smile and happy disposition that I adored to no end.

Then I turned to where Nia and Anne stood. Nia had a gentle smile on, while Anne had a thoughtful expression on her face. I had to give them credit for letting Braixe and I have our moment in peace. Then, Mewtwo floated over and stopped a few feet away. The glowing stone was completely gone, and he was back to his normal coloration. I also noticed that Anne held a large black stone in her hand right, which I figured must be the Shadow Synergy Stone. In her left hand she held her pendant, which was badly cracked.

Anne noticed me looking at damaged pendant, and said, "Even all of the power of this stone was not enough to quell the Shadow Synergy Stone. We saved Mewtwo all thanks to you."

Nia leaned over to Anne and said, "It's because you never gave up on Mewtwo."

Anne looked down, her cloak covering her eyes.

"You think that can be fixed?" Nia said encouragingly.

"I have no idea," Anne replied.

I frowned. I didn't like the sound of that for some reason.

"I need to take the Shadow Synergy Stone back to my people," Anne said, staring at me with those cold, ice blue eyes, "Will you please take care of Mewtwo for me?"

My mind seemed to grind to a halt at that.

"Huh? Why?" Nia said in shock.

I seemed to relieve the events of this entire adventure in an instant, and that caused something within me to snap.

"WHAT!?" I shouted, springing up to my feet and stomping over to the girl in the cloak, "You're _dumping_ Mewtwo on me? He almost _killed_ Braize! She could've _DIED_! Do you understand what that means? Do you have any idea how that felt? I thought you did, seeing as you got so nervous when the Shadow Synergy Stone was destroying Mewtwo's mind. But maybe you were just scared that you'd be blamed for whatever happened after!"

Anne shrank back a bit, taken aback by my tirade, but then she composed herself and said, "I can't take care of him. Not right now. But you-."

"SHUT-UP!" I shouted, causing Anne's eyes to grow wide with fear, "Don't you get it! My Braixen, my partner, my best friend, someone I loved, almost _died_ because of _YOU!_ " I pointed an accusing finger at Anne as I continued, "That's right! YOU! You said that the Shadow Synergy Stone possessed you once. How did that happen? Were you just too curious? Or did you want to harness it's power? Were you selfish? Ambitious? Did you disobey a warning Walter gave you? Doesn't matter, I suppose. What matters is that Mewtwo nearly sacrificed his life by taking your place! _I wish he hadn't!_ "

"Matthais!" Nia shouted in shock at what I just said.

I was seething with rage at this point, and I could only imagine what Nia and Braize were thinking. Hopefully I would make my intentions clear with what I had to say next as I tore into the pale faced, wide eyed, cloaked girl in front of me.

"Yes, I wish he hadn't, and not only because a human probably wouldn't have been able to do as much damage as a Legendary Pokmeon. When you told me about what Mewtwo had done for you, I was touched, honestly. I thought you two had a strong bond. But with what you just said to me a moment ago, I know that I was wrong. Or maybe you've given up on that bond after all. You say you can't take care of him?"

I grabbed Anne by the front her cloak and said straight to her face, "How _dare_ you even _think_ you have a choice here!"

I pushed her back and continued, "Everything that happened her is _your fault_ , Anne. _Everything. You_ somehow got possessed by the Shadow Synergy Stone to start with. _You_ refused to ask for help until things got too bad. Shadow Mewtwo badly injure a lot of Pokemon because of you. And I still say we had time for that fourth master, but time wouldn't have been an issue if you hadn't waited for so long. With full power, Braize wouldn't have been in as much danger as she was, and I wouldn't have been crying over her motionless body not too long ago, and holding the _dying body_ of someone you care about as they fade away is far worse than watching them be swallowed up by some crazy dark power."

I then pointed at Mewtwo, who had been silently floating in place and observing the whole scene with a unreadable Poker-face the whole time, and said, "But I _might_ have been able to forgive all that. . . if you hadn't tried to just hand Mewtwo off to me like some kind of object! You told us that he practically gave his life up for you, and you don't even consider the fact that _he_ might want to stay with you?"

"But. . . I . . . I can't. . ." Anne said in a shaky whisper.

"Can't what? Battle? Synergize?" I offered incredulously, "There's more to bonding with a Pokemon than battling and using Synergy Burst, you hypocrite! Talk with him! Travel with him! I don't know, _play with him!_ Do whatever you want! Do _something!_ It doesn't matter what you do! Make him feel like he matters! Like the care he gave to you when he saved your life is at least reciprocated! Can't you see that you need to be held accountable for this? And that means making things right."

I stepped closer to her and pointed at her to punctuate my next words, " _You're_ responsible for this, Anne. So _grow up_ and be an _adult_! _I'm_ the one who _can't_ take care of Mewtwo, Anne. Only _you_ can do that, because it is _you_ who Mewtwo has bonded with. You've got only two choices here, and I'm gonna lay them out for you. You can either take Mewtwo back with you and strengthen your bond, while also figuring out a way to either _destroy_ or safely harness the power of that Shadow Synergy Stone; _**OR,**_ you leave Mewtwo right here, right now, and allow him to just wander until you've died of old age or something. Those are the only two choices you have, Anne. Think about it."

I then swiftly turned and walked over to where Braize lay. She was looking at me with wide eyes, not of fear, but of amazement. I knew that she was still weak from her ordeal, so I quickly scooped her up and carried her in my arms, cradling her like a child. She was about two thirds my size, not as easy to carry as a Pikachu or other smaller Pokemon, but I was able to manage it.

 _"You were scared. . . you didn't want to loose me. . ."_

"I love you as my best friend in the world, Braize," I said warmly, then I frowned and said in a darker tone, "I hurts to think that _others_ would so be blind to selfless care, or even try to _reject_ a bond-."

 _"Don't be too hard on her. . . please. . ."_

I sighed as Braize gave me a sad look with those eyes of hers. Braize was could be quite sympathetic when she wanted to be, although it was rare in the battling scene. She would always be so fussy whenever she lost a round. Anyway, deep down I knew she was right, and I actually a bit embarrassed about my outburst, but at the same time I refused to take back a single word of what I had said. My message was still right.

Still carrying Braize, I turned to look back at Anne, who's eyes were covered by her cloak.

"Anne," I said in a more gentle tone, "I'm sorry if I came off as a bit too harsh. But I almost lost my best friend, and you were willing to give away yours. Maybe for only a time, but after what happened, Mewtwo being with anyone but you would be a horrible idea. Braize and I didn't come to the Ferrum Region just to help you and Mewtwo. He needs _you_ , Anne. I'm sure of this. I'm starting to wonder if maybe you. . . I don't know. . . _don't know how_ or something? Are you afraid to let Mewtwo see the real you or something? You and Mewtwo both desperately need something, and it's something I can't give to you. You have to give it to each other. Times of turmoil don't mean that a bond isn't meant to be, or that you should give up or take a break from it. They're just a part of the process."

I sighed, wondering if this was even getting through to her, and I said with finality, "I realize that this might not make sense to you just yet, but that's fine Anne, because you're not my problem to solve. I've already saved the Ferrum Region. But I'm not cold hearted. I care about people. And I truly pray that one day it clicks within you, and you're able to make peace with yourself, and with Mewtwo. And when that happens, when you finally see what I'm talking about. . ."

I turned my back on her, and I said, ". . .challenge us to a battle. You and Mewtwo vs me and Braize. Come on, Nia. Let's bring Braize to the Pokemon Center."

I started walking forward, and reached into my leather waist pack. I took out a Forsted Sweet and gave it to Braize to nibble on.

"I think I get what you were trying to say," Nia said as she walked alongside me, "Anne needs to fight her own battles, and she and Mewtwo need _each_ other."

I looked over at Nia and saw her thoughtful expression, cheered by the fact that at least _she_ understood. Then I looked down at the Braixen I held in my arms as she happily licked pink frosting off her mouth and looked up at me with adorable eyes.

 _"I love you too . . . best friend."_

As I petted Braize's head, Nia suddenly remarked, "I've got a feeling that she'll be back."

I nodded, "Me too. I just hope that she comes back because she and Mewtwo are ready to battle, and not because she put the world in danger again."

And on that bit of black comedy, off the three of us went, leaving Anne standing there with Mewtwo floating behind her, in a still, deep silence.

* * *

". . . . . . . When. . . I saw you battling, when I felt your Synergy, it almost felt like- even though it was you and your Braixen that were battling, it felt like- I felt hopeful. I felt good. I felt like. . . my debt to Mewtwo was being repaid. Finally. That guiding Mewtwo to you, and having you battle him, could free him. That it could fix the problem. And then you gave power to the Synergy Stone, and it did free him, but what now? I mean, if you won't battle with Mewtwo. . . then. . . what now? That's why I wanted you to take care of Mewtwo for me. I hoped that you can give Mewtwo that synergy, that bond that was able to free him from the Shadow Synergy Stone. I couldn't do it, I couldn't free him, I couldn't find any other way to reach him, I tried everything. In the end it was _**you** _ who freed him. I know I made a terrible mistake, and that this is all my fault. But. . . please. . . I want Mewtwo to be at peace and . . . okay, and. . . you're able to give him that. I can see it! Don't _**you** _ see, I . . . I . . .is. . . is there something wrong with me? I mean, I know I did an awful thing, and I'm doing it again, I'm giving you Mewtwo because I can't. . . I . . . There _**has**_ to be something wrong with me! I. . . I don't know, but there's just nothing I can do! I'm sorry, please, help Mewtwo! Help **_me_**! You have to help me, you have to show me how you and Braize are able to be so complete and connected in some way that Mewtwo and I never were! I don't want to hate myself anymore! All I want is to know that things are going to be okay!"

 _"More, more, more. . ."_

". . . !"

 _"More energy, more power, more Synergy. . .Don't you see, Anne? . . . **Less** is more."_

". . . ."

 _"Synergy Bursts, battles. . . stones. . .was all of this ever necessary?"_

". . . ."

 _"You don't have to feel hurt anymore, Anne. . .neither or us do."_

". . . Mewtwo, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

 _"I've already forgiven you. . ."_

". . .So. . ."

 _"It's your decision."_

". . . I'm sure Walter will want to meet you."

 _". . .That sounds nice."_

 **The End**


End file.
